We’re in an epidemic
Our generation is sick
There isn’t a magic medicine
And there isn’t a quick fix

You cannot see this illness
It is cruel and it hides
It is not just the body it effects
But it lives within our minds

Maybe you think I'm being dramatic,
Attention-seeking or a drone
But there’s reason behind its nickname
The Silent Killer - it is known

The black dog, The darkness,
Call it what you will,
For all intents and purposes
Depression fits the bill

Depression leaves you powerless,
It ***** your life away.
“You’re no good, you can’t do this”
That’s what it’s voice will say.

Can you imagine what it feels like,
To not be in control of your own mind,
To give in to an illness,
And leave the old you behind

Somedays you can’t get out of bed,
Somedays you can’t face eating,
Somedays you feel nothing at all,
Happiness feels like cheating.

Guilty, Embarrassing, Stupid,
A burden to everyone else.
So we live with this illness in secret,
We live with poor mental health.

But 1 in 4 will feel this way,
At some point in our lives.
So why do we remain silent?
Afraid to talk but why?

And why is it so common?
This I cannot understand
Especially in our young generation
It’s getting out of hand

We’re developing so quickly,
Our minds cannot keep up
This millennial mindset
Is what is causing this rut

We strive so much for something
But what are we striving for?
A 9-5 job? Money to pay bills?
Always wanting more.

Our young lives lack meaning
We grew up with wanderlust
We’ve built so many expectations
This world cannot do them just

A self fulfilling prophecy
Goals that can’t be done
No wonder we feel like failures
Before we’ve even begun

It is easy to forget
That us humans have needs too
It is health that is the real wealth
Gold and silver will not do

So I end this note by saying
Though I know it’s hard to hear
You are good enough, you can do this  
You’re not alone, that’s clear

100 billion neurons
That’s what the brain contains
But your mind is infinite
Each one is not the same

If Depression is a cloud
then your mind is the sky
It does not define you
It will pass you by.

I pull them from my pocket
I'm sure this is not how they were left
In the short time since breakfast,
their wires have become a mess

I tug and tug,
which just makes matters worse
only with logic, patience and care
can these wires be coerced

At first a ball of irrationality,
a blemish on your day
Just a little bit of love
can help it go away

Poetry is my sertraline  
To write is to create
a simple pen and paper
is my armour against hate

Music is my xanex
it’s this that ignites a spark
the inspiration that it gives me
is my sword against the dark

Nature is my therapy
the feel of wind and rain
and sounds of birds and bees
equip me for battles in my brain

Love is the most powerful
- Depression’s sworn enemy
more so than any prescription
and there’s plenty inside of me

Poetry saved my soul
to ponder,
to wander
helps me feel whole

I’ve never been the loudest
or the one to make a fuss
but we all want to be understood
it’s inside all of us

A problem shared
is a problem halved
but when you can’t get anything out
then how can you start

To write is to create
to read is to escape
words and punctuation marks
that’s all it takes